Australia Here I Come! (Overcoming the winter blues)
The last few years have been tough for everyone.
I have had my share of the storm – not just in the form of the pandemic, but also in the forms of grief, of financial struggle, of health issues and the stress of running a business through unprecedented times.
Sometimes we have to do things for ourselves. To treat ourselves. To nourish our ids and our souls.
I have booked a very special trip for the New Year 😊
My other half has, in response to my anxiety about the ‘winter blues’ that always start just before the longest day of the year, given me the idea (and the green light!) to spend some time in the sunshine whilst the UK lives through the bleakest part of winter.
Not only ‘some time’ – a whole month! I am off to really recharge the winter battery pack with some seasonal variation. Some beach life. Some healthy, heart-warming interactions.
I literally could not be happier!
This (genius) plan comes with a number of benefits;
I have something to look forward to when the shiny lights of Christmas and New Year are done with – rather than endless gloom.
I have an entire circle of friends in Australia (having lived there in the past) that I very seldom get to see – this way I get – not just to reconnect, but to reconnect in a relaxed and leisurely way that fosters quality time and nurturing of meaningful friendships.
Whilst the days are short here in Blighty I can soak up some vitamin D in the long evenings of the height of the Antipodean summer!
A reason to maintain fitness throughout the year rather than letting the Winter Blues take effect. I have to be beach ready in January!
I will spend time in Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne – and have clients and candidates in each location – so can re-strengthen customer bonds with some face-to-face time.
I can also use the time to network and grow business contacts.
I will continue to work from there so will – despite time zones between the UK and Australia being difficult at that time of year – be able to attend meetings with my team in London.
By the time I return in mid-February, the worst of the winter will (hopefully) be done – and even if it isn’t, I will have sufficient charge of friendship and vitamin D to see me though.
Amazing, right?
I am contemplating taking some actual holiday time whilst I am there too to switch off and recharge – contemplating as I will just have had a Christmas/New Year break so maybe this is overkill on the downtime. I do have a business to run after all!
Splitting my time, I will fly from London to Singapore then onto Sydney, down to Melbourne and home from there stopping in Singapore again on the final leg home.
And then I have my life here to look forward to returning too – my lovely boyfriend Andrew and our dogs Frodo and Maya. I will miss them all whilst I am away and they will assuage any post-holiday-blues I have when I get home I am sure.
Even the knowledge that this is booked is cheering my way through the year. While I would normally be worried about the shortening days and the falling of the leaves that are to come, I am actively planning my social and professional engagements for my time Down Under.
My ultimate goal in life is to have a London and a Sydney office and to split my time between the two, following the summer. Perhaps I can look into this whilst I am there too – see what I need to do to set up a business. See who I could hire to run it. Have you got any suggestions?
The possibilities are endless!
Is there anything you would do to overcome whatever you would most like to escape? Do you too hate winter? Does Christmas give you the heebie-jeebies?
Or do you love to escape for your birthday?
Would you rather avoid the heat of high summer with a trip to the cooler climes to the North or South?
Let me know in the comments!
Have a great week everyone!
